If you are a cancer survivor, you are already adept at reaching goals, even in the face of unexpected setbacks. This stalwart focus can also help you meet new goals, such as losing weight. Attaining and maintaining a healthy weight can help you continue to heal both inside and out. In addition, eating a healthy, balanced diet combined with regular physical activity contributes to your overall health and wellness. As your body changes in a positive direction, your mind, too, will recognize that you didn't stop at survival. You continued all the way to thriving.
Step 1
Be physically active for 30 minutes at least five days a week. According to the American Cancer Society, people who have undergone cancer treatment commonly feel tired and may experience anxiety and depression. While these are normal after surviving cancer, they can also cause you to limit your activities and you may become more sedentary. Weight gain results from your lack of activity and can feed the cycle of fatigue and depression. Exercise such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming or any activity that requires you to be more active can help you lose weight, decrease fatigue and help you overcome anxiety and depression.
Step 2
Increase your consumption of foods that contain dietary fiber. These foods, also known as complex carbohydrates, include fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body can't absorb, so it doesn't add calories. Despite this, fiber adds bulk to your stomach when eating so you end up eating fewer calories. Dietary fiber, according to the American Heart Association, helps decrease your risk of heart disease and can lower cholesterol. Foods that are high in natural fiber also contain other important nutrients that may help decrease your risk of certain kinds of cancer.
Step 3
Emphasize unsaturated fats such as olive oil, flaxseeds, fatty fish and walnuts. Saturated fats, which are typically used in highly processed foods, contribute to an increase in cholesterol and higher risk of heart disease. Saturated fats can be identified from nutrition labels by looking for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats. These are usually solid at room temperature and also include animal fats and butter. Focus your diet on eating a fatty fish such as salmon or mackerel twice a week, and use healthy fats like olive oil in dressings. Dietitian Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic says that you should get no more than 20 to 35 percent of your total number of calories in the form of fat. This means if your recommended daily caloric intake is 1,800 calories, you should consume 70g of fat daily.
Step 4
Avoid drinking alcohol. According to the American Cancer Society, alcohol consumption has been associated with an increased risk of cancers of the mouth, breast and liver. Even when you've survived cancer, your risk remains, and alcohol is an avoidable cause. Alcohol also adds empty calories in the form of simple carbohydrates that your body is efficient at storing as fat. Despite the potential benefit some forms of alcohol, such as red wine, may provide, the risks far outweigh any nutritional protection. Instead, get your antioxidants from fresh fruits or grape juices that also have health and immune-system building properties without alcohol.
Tips and Warnings
- Speak with your doctor before making changes to your diet or level of activity.
References
- American Cancer Society: Changes to Think About During and After Treatment
- American Cancer Society: Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After Cancer Treatment: Answers to Common Questions
- National Cancer Institute: Obesity and Cancer: Questions and Answers
- Mayo Clinic: Fat Grams, Calories or Percentages: Which Are More Important?
- Mayo Clinic: Red Wine, Antioxidants and Resveratrol: Good For Your Heart?
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